Living in the North, Exploring the World

About Me

Hi, I’m Murray Lundberg, a retired motorcoach driver/guide and cruise consultant who continues to travel extensively as a cruise ship speaker, writer and photographer. With my wife, Cathy, 2 dogs and a cat, I live on forested acreage at the edge of Whitehorse, the capital of Canada’s Yukon Territory. Monty, a Seppala Siberian Sleddog, and Bella, a Sheltie cross, are our companions for all of our RV adventures and most of my solo hiking expeditions into the backcountry (Monty has his own Web page at “Everything Husky!“).

I’ve been active in nature and heritage conservation efforts since the late 1970s. In 1985 I visited the Yukon and Alaska, flying my own small plane, and fell in love with the country – five years later, I moved to Whitehorse. I’ve travelled extensively, conducted educational tours throughout the Yukon, Alaska and the western Northwest Territories, and have been an occasional speaker on cruise ships in both Alaska and the Caribbean since 2005. I’ve written a local mining history, Fractured Veins & Broken Dreams, a smaller book about the Alaska Highway, and a guide to South Klondike Highway. I have also edited several Northern titles including “Mackenzie Breakup” and “The Life and Times of Digger Cook”.

Heavily involved in community affairs for many years, I was an Auxiliary member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police from 1994-1997, and have served on several community boards including Block Parents, the Whitehorse Heritage Advisory Board and the Yukon Quest Sled Dog Race. I also served as an elected member of the South Klondike Local Advisory Council while living full-time in Carcross for several years.

A self-described “late bloomer,” I returned to school at the age of 41, and graduated from Yukon College in the field of Northern Justice and Criminology.

I came to the conclusion many years ago that I was born a Northerner, it just took me 40 years to get home! The more of this amazing land I see, the further I want to explore, and since opening my first Web site in 1997, the Internet has allowed me to share that passion. Most of my travel writing appears here on The ExploreNorth Blog, or at Destination BC’s HelloBC Blog, while my main ExploreNorth site is home to my other writing, mostly about Yukon and Alaska history.

Comments

About Me — 111 Comments

Hello Murray from Worcester UK.
Have recently found your website and it’s very interesting.
I love reading about wilderness places and the history of the Gold Rush in the Yukon.
Visited friends in Smithers B.C. about 6 years ago – they emigrated to Canada as physios about 25 years back and now run a small farm. Hoping to visit around the YUkon and a bit of Alaska when we come over again. There is so much to see in the Northwest I’m sure – so it will be a pretty long vacation next time. Have visited Lapland also and we love the dogs very much. My wife is disabled but enjoyed it there and we both had a great skidoo ride.
Best wishes

Have you ever been to Fort Selkirk ? My family lived there about 1905…. Their name was Swinehart…. I understand there is a Swinehart homestead there ? But it is so difficult to get there…Boat trips have been cancelled…. If you know of a website where I can see photos of Ft. Selkirk I would like that….

The Yukon Heritage Branch has a good history with many photos posted at http://www.tc.gov.yk.ca/archives.html I may have some photos of the Swinehart property in my collection – I’ll see what I can find.

I visited Whitehorse on business trips a few times in the last few years from my base in southern BC. An interesting place to be sure – sad to say I never had the opportunity to explore outside of the city limits (unless you count the airport!) but I plan to re-visit and explore what I have been told is truly a beautiful part of the country.
Where was the photo taken on the Home page?

Welcome back – in a virtual sense. I hope that you get to do some good exploring the next time you come up. There are about a dozen home page photos that display in a random rotation, so I have no way of knowing which place you saw. They’re from all over the north, though, including Alaska, Yukon, Greenland and Iceland.

Hi, I stumbled across your site and think it’s marvelous–the sort I can really get into, about rambling about the North. I live in Fairbanks and can certainly relate to your post about being tired of winter already and wanting to drive down to Fall. Skagway is such a nice little community (especially in the fall when most of the tourists have left).

I’m a rambler myself and have been tramping about the back roads of Interior Alaska for going on 30 years. I even make it over to Canada occasionally.

Hi Murray – I work for the National Weather Service with primary responsibility, to develop training for the FAA. I came across your web site and would like to use a few of your pictures in the training. Would this be possible?

Hi Murray, I just rediscovered your blog in looking back at some email between my niece and me. She set my blog up in ’09 and patterned it after yours, I remember looking at it then, but blogging was so new to me that I didn’t look at it any further. I went through Whitehorse in ’09 and thoroughly enjoyed the time spent there, had supper at the Klondike Rib and Salmon BBQ and took in the vaudeville show next door after that. Have enjoyed looking at some of the pics in your blog and saying “hey, I’ve been there”. I just got my blog up and running again after being confused about it for over a year. With regards to computers I can easily get confused. I generally just put it away and hope it heals itself, this time had to get a pro to help out. Now that I know your blog is there, will be reading it some more. Stay warm up there, temps here have been in the upper 70’s today.

Hello Murray,
I found your cycle blog last night, actually about 3 A.M. and spent the rest of the night wandering through it. Without a doubt, the best blog I’ve ever seen on the subject. I’ll becoming your way from NYC on ’92 Low Rider about the second week of June on a solo trip Ive been planning over the last couple of years. I got a chuckle out your remark about being 60 and still riding around in the middle of nowhere, because I’m leaving NY on 5/30 and returning on 7/13, the day before my 74th birthday.

There’s two cycle videos on my site, http://www.quantaproductions.com, POL TREk about a trip to Las Vegas and Canadian Maritimes, self explanatory, you might find interesting. Check out the “happening now” page for this coming trip plan. I’ll be posting information about the equipment and plan for the trip on the blog in the next week or so and would be greatfull for any advice or comment you care to make.

In the meantime, I expect to read every thing you’ve posted about riding in the Nortth Country. I’d like to stop by and say hello when I pass through your post code if it’s O.K. withn you.

The website has a typo in my previous comment. It should be http://www.quantaproductions.com Sorry about that. I’m putting a link to your blog home page on my blog, so hopefully you’ll get a few more hits from my immediate family and the two friends I still have. I’m putting up the tour plan with the as I write this and will have up by the end of the day. Thanks for answering and comments.

Enjoy your site-great pictures as well! I have driven the Alcan several times and have spent some time in Whitehorse and the Skagway area over the years. I remember my 1st trip from Tx to Ak in 1969, in a 1966 Ford Mustang with my wife and all of our wordly goods (particularly a 19″ black and white tv). 1200 miles of Alcan gravel roads. What an adventure! I love the drive from Whitehorse to Skagway! Last rv trip three yrs ago to Ak–will do again next yr if I can afford fuel! Thanks for the memories!

Hello Murray,
Very interesting blog! Great fotos!
I would like to ask you a question regarding the Sign Post Forest in Watson Lake. I visited Watson Lake and the famous Sign Post Forest in May, learning that Carl K. Lindley made the first sign: “Carl K Lindley – Danville Illinois 2835 miles”. As a travel writer I am currently working on an article about the Sign Post Forest. Is it known how he came to this number?

Interesting question. I’ve never seen any comment about where Lindley got his mileage from, but mileage charts weren’t uncommon in both tourist publications and military reports – it would be simple to add on a couple of numbers to get to Watson Lake and Danville from major points. His number is accurate, as Mapquest says that the mileage is now 2736 miles, and the shortening of the Alaska Highway since that time would be about 100 miles.

Sorry I missed you while going through Whitehorse on the 20th of June, but I was trapped in Fort Nelson for four days behind that mud slide and road closure. I had to move right along in order to meet my wife in Anchorage. The whole story is on the blog. Anyway, reading your blog really helped me plan this trip, so many thanks. Maybe next time.

Hello Murray,
I am working on a book about American fireboats. Since I would like to include those of Alaska, is it possible to obtain a good quality image of yours showing Ketchikan’s “Harry Newell” at the dock. This would be credited as you indicate. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Wayne Mutza

hey Murray and Kathy now i have had a chance to see llok at yourblog and it is truly great. Loved the coverage of the Legendary rhine and Moselle cruise. Fantastic. Notsure about my bewildered looking face on the walk through the red light district. Keepupthe good work and look forward to your nextblog. all the best tony

I feel so bad that a comment I made caused you to take the photos down of me while I from when I worked on the bowl this past summer. I didn’t mean for you to do this. Also, I checked with the vice president of operations and he said that it was ok for you to post the photos. Any publicity is good publicity. The fact that you were offering positive information about the Alaska Native Heritage Center is welcome. Furthermore, the photos you posted are from your own personal collections and you are free to publicize them in any fashion you choose. Please forgive my ignorance and accept my apologies.

I enjoy your website and you show sensitivity and pride in your posts. Your photos are very high quality and in good taste. Thank you for visiting me this summer. The Alaska Native Heritage Center is dedicating, naming and blessing the finished Frog Feast Bowl on November 29. The following link will take you to the announcement of the Feast Bowl Dedication ceremony. Please take good care and be well.

MailerDaemon sent back my e-mail to both the MWL & the murray@ addresses. Have you a different one, now you are, not-working-for-anyone-else-but-working-just-as-hard-doing-your-own-thing?
THINKING of YOU at CHRISTMAS
(should have been an insert here of the Christmas Star)
and wishing you a very Happy New Year!
I have stayed up very late catching up on those Winter photo trips of yours. Looking at them has me shivering and I see how you go sun-searching. So different! It is New Year’s Eve and the odd firework is still popping. At present our weather is doing as the weatherman tells it and we are having plenty of sunlight & heat. Christmas Day was a bit showery, but we still enjoyed it. This is Brendan with his sister, Catherine’s first Pavlova (NZ traditional Christmas dessert; I always make Christmas puddings but we tend to eat them another day!) Cath’s Pavlova was scrumptious, as stunning as it looks.
John, Michelle & Cameron are coming home in February, one of the aims being to give Cameron a real NZ beach holiday. We have this part of the visit all sorted for Pauanui & Mt. Maunganui. As well as time in Auckland, they will visit Rotorua for two days. All of us will be at Pauanui in the Canadian log house (extremely spacious) owned by Cath’s f-in-law, then later, after the Rotorua trip, Paddy & I will join them at the Mt. The holiday will begin and end at home in Auckland. Great excitement.

Our very Best Regards that 2013 will be a year of good health, good fortune, lots of fun and the energy to keep up with it all and get the best from every day. I have ‘retired’ – haven’t noticed yet as have been very busy. Keep thinking I may change my mind once Summer’s over & the family has departed, but we’ll see!
(should have been a photo insert here of our NZ Christmas Day dessert: Catherine’s First Pavlova. It was a stunner.)

Wanted to find out if you would be willing to do this story in article form for the Grande Cache Mountaineer. We loved reading your blog entry and would like to share your experience with our readers as well.

I saw in your post last year in the Airfacts blog that you have flow many hours in a Cessna 172, but that your favorite airplane is the Grumman Cougar. I have owned a Cessna Cutlass RG for 15 years and am now shopping for a light twin. Why do you like the Cougar? What can you tell me about your experience with a Cougar? I’d appreciate any advice you can give.

Hi Bert. It’s been a long time since I flew the Cougar, so can only give you the reactions that have stayed with me. When I moved up to the GA-7, I’d flown a decent range of singles, from Fleet Canucks to Cessna 172s and Piper Cherokees. I’d always said that speed wasn’t important to me, that I was happy just putting along through the sky. The Cougar changed that! It was an exciting airplane to fly – initially somewhat intimidating because you have to learn a new way of flying, to think far ahead of your normal plans because of the 184 mph cruise. The cockpit has a great feel to it, though I recall it as not being good for a large person. The controls were very responsive – if you thought about making a turn, it was already happening 🙂 I recall the single-engine performance as being poor – that you could fly right to the scene of the crash, as they say, but that was the case with the Seneca that I put time on later as well. The only reason that I started flying the Seneca was that it was based at an airport that was much easier to get to. While the Seneca was cheaper to rent, I remember that the operating costs were a fair bit higher, and it was plain and simple not as much fun to fly. The best comparison I can make may be that flying the Cougar was like driving my friend’s Porsche. If I was in the market for a light twin, the Cougar would be high on the list of possibilities.

Murray – I came across your blog while searching Coral Princess. My wife and I are scheduled for a Panama Canal cruise in October. I really enjoyed your review and photos of your time onboard. We did an Alaska cruise in the 90’s and your blog was one of the best recaps of a cruise I’ve seen. It confirmed that I would enjoy another Alaskan cruise. I think a driving trip, using the ferries would be even better.

Thanks, John – I’m really pleased that you’ve enjoyed my postings. Some day, Cathy and I would like to see some of the coastal communities that can only be reached by ferry, but the luxury and total relaxation on those cruise ships is quite addictive 🙂

Hi Brad. I’m back to “work” in the North now, but unfortunately the bike got put away for the winter 3 days ago – we now have 3 inches of snow on the ground. The RV gets its winterization finished on Tuesday, but I’ll still be doing lots of day-tripping by car over the winter.

I was raised in Northern Alberta. my Mother’s long since defected to the Yukon. She’s happy as a pig in Keno City, now. Your pictures and prose do this beautiful province justice. keep up the excellent work.

Jack Stewart is my great grandfather so I have spent a few days exploring Montana Mountain as well. When you visited the Cliff house did you find the sunglasses I forgot in the cabin back in the mid 90s? Thanks for the directions to the vault mine. I love your blog, we have a number of common interests.

Hi Murray,
Saw the very interesting blog you have, read about your first ride of the year, and thought I’d say hello. I’m an avid biker, on and off road, and a Pilot. I have a Piper Archer 2 right now and was just today considering taking a trip from my home here in North Wyoming to Alaska. Pretty far! Since you aviate AND mc up there, what are your impressions of such?I’m a good camper and decent outdoorsman. I realize there’d be a lot of prep and such. Just a dream right now!

Hi Mark. First, I apologize for the tardy response – your question got buried during a busy spell. I assume it’s the Archer you’d like to bring up. It’s a truly remarkable trip, and I highly recommend it. I flew my Cessna 172 from Vancouver to the Beaufort Sea at Tuktoyaktuk and across the Fairbanks in 1985, and for me it was a life-changing trip. It does take a lot of preparation, but it’s certainly doable without going in a caravan as most pilots seem to do. One of the biggest decisions will be routing – IFR (I Follow Roads) or cross country as I did – that will depend on your comfort level with hard-core map-and-compass work, as navigational aids are sparse and some of the topography near the BC/Alaska coast is very confusing. I’d be happy to talk to you more about it as your plans progress – email me directly ( http://www.explorenorth.com/contact.html ).

Hi Murray,
I recently learned of your blog and really enjoy learning about Northern Canada. One of writers just recently did an awesome post on Yukon and mentioned your blog. You can check it out here. I hope this is okay. We’re really excited about this article and hope you can share it as well.

I really like your blog and feel like I could spend entire days reading it!
Now, I was wondering if you could give me some tips on a trip I’m planning to Canada in late November. I have 5 nights to spend on either Whitehorse or Yellowknife and my main purpose is see the Northern Lights. I know it is impossible to predict when she’ll be out, so my main question is which city should I go – which one historically has better chances, and which one offers more options for daylight activities and landscape photography. If Yellowknife is the best option, could I rent a car and drive the Ingraham Trail to one of the lakes, or it is too dangerous due to the weather?

Sorry if you have written about this already, I’m slowly going through your posts so though a direct question would be quicker for now.

Hi Roberta. This is a question that I’ve spent a lot of time trying to figure out, and in my opinion there isn’t a clear winner. The weather, to start with, is comparable – you can check weather averages at Weatherspark – ie https://weatherspark.com/averages/28430/Whitehorse-Yukon-Territory-Canada Yellowknife does have a slight edge in being directly under the auroral arc more frequently. Whitehorse has a large edge in having more variety of shooting locations available, however. That not only counts in the actual photographs, but with highways running in all 4 directions there’s a higher chance of being able to drive to better weather, as I did at http://explorenorth.com/wordpress/driving-to-an-incredible-aurora-borealis-display/ and there’s a huge variety in daytime shooting options. A very large consideration should be the date of your visit, though – you say “late November” but the full moon, which pretty much wipes out the aurora, is on November 25th – the new moon on November 11th will give you greatly better viewing.

From here in Raleigh, North Carolina I very much enjoyed seeing the pictures from your recent rambles through NW Canada. While our East Coast friends are always extolling the virtues of their European trips, I point out that they haven’t been to the Canadian Rockies as I have been. Beautiful scenery. When we were there in mid-August about 10 years ago, the first snowfall in the high mountains fell and added spice to the trip. We learned that you don’t get many perfectly sunny days but you need to get in the car and go anyway.

Hi Murray. Beautiful pictures. Interesting stories. Regarding your visit to Pouce Coupe in September (I haven’t figured out how to comment in that section) I think the reason the locals may have been less than welcoming is because so much traffic diverted through Pouce Coupe this summer ( right through the residential area near the trestle) because of the construction on the highway into Dawson Creek. The speed bumps have now been removed and I think all is back to normal. Pouce Coupe has a great little museum (I think it was the rail station building at one time) though I understand it closes at the end of August. For the past 70+ years Pouce Coupe has held an annual parade and barbecue on July 1st. It attracts hundreds of people of people every year. I hope you can take these in on your next visit through our area.

Dear Murray and family,
I AM still in the land of the living. I have just upgraded to El Capitan OS and am having a bit of a trying time making sure I have everything. Cannot send from main account yet, so am using my gmail one. Don’t dare try to see what has happened to my (previously beautifully organised) Photos. However, I found I still have your blog, so have read the latest entries. I am perpetually blown away by your epic drives and the amazing photographs you take. I am very sorry to find out that your lovely Monty is not doing well. The new puppy looks wonderful – congratulations. A mention has been made of the possibility of a visit early next May – but Nothing settled yet. We have another grandchild due here by about the third week of April, so …..

It is the “silly season” – end of school & tertiary year, approaching Christmas festivities and long Summer break, so I will wish you all A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS and NEW YEAR and a cosy hibernation!

It’s wonderful to hear from you, Marie! I think of you often when my mind wanders back to Aotearoa – yesterday it was Pakiri Beach that I spent some time at while discussing with a friend a safe place to move to after we heard the awful news from California. Our return to New Zealand has been delayed for a few years while we focus on family. An exciting year coming for you, with new family, and another big trip – perhaps we can meet on this one!

Hello Mr. Lundberg,
I recently stumbled across your blog while researching some mines in the Montana Mountain area. I am an amateur researcher and explorer of mining history here in the Southwest, US. I had a chance to visit your neck of the woods for a week a few summers back while visiting my girlfriend who was working in Skagway for the season and I quickly fell in love with the area. Unfortunately, my girlfriend’s only transportation was her car that eventually broke down and stranded us in Whitehorse for most of my visit – not complaining! At some point in the future I wish to return to the area in a more suitable vehicle and explore the mines up on Montana Mtn. Any chance you have a secret stash of Fractured Veins & Broken Dreams hidden away? I would love to add a copy of it to my mining library! Unfortunately, the only copies currently available are selling (not really selling) from CDN$500 to CDN$4,162.66 (plus CDN$6.49 shipping!!). Any chance of running a reprint? I have a few searches running at the normal used books sites awaiting for a copy to appear.

Hi Dan. It’s always nice to hear from other folks who share my passion for old mines. I sure wish that I had a stash of Fractured Veins so I could spend my winters in Tahiti! 🙂 I plan to have a kindle version of the book out shortly, but while a new expanded and updated print version of the book is planned, it could be a couple of years away.

Thanks – I’ve added that news report into my post. I closed comments on old posts a few months ago to dramatically reduce the amount of spam I have to deal with – it dropped from hundreds per day to a couple of dozen per month. At the bottom of every post, there’s a Subscribe option that will send you an email about new posts. There isn’t one to notify people about new comments, though.

Fabulous and very helpfull website! Thanks for all the hard work and magnificent photography. We will be returning to the Yukon this September for the third year in a row. Scenery and hiking are just spectacular, this time we are renting an RV for two weeks and this why I found your website.

Hello Murray! Don’t know if you remember me, but i’m the tourism hostess who showed you around Grande Cache Tourism Centre, back in March 2014 – I think it was! Wanted to say hi and when will you be visiting us again? Elesa (We have a FB page you might want to like – Grande Cache Tourism and Interpretive Centre.

Good afternoon Murray.
After watching an episode of Canada: Over the Edge featuring a segment on the Yukon, I saw your episode. Thinking I recognized you from either Radio on the Coast in Langley or another industry, perhaps food related, I’m wondering if our paths had crossed in an early stage of life.

Great episode by the way on the desert area with the lake in the background.

Hi Rob. I lived in Langley, worked for Overwaitea Foods for many years, and ran for election there in about ’86. Your name rings a bell but I can’t yet place why. I’m glad you enjoyed the Canada Over the Edge show – it was a lot of fun working with the crew.

There, that’s what it took to trigger my memory – I remember you working at CJJC. We did have some great guys working there. Even Jim Pattison would drop by and chat with us occasionally – the days before Expo 86 crowned him King or something 🙂

I am currently working on a heritage routes project, and saw the picture of the muddy Duncan creek road in your post http://explorenorth.com/wordpress/day-trip-keno-city-yukon/. I was wondering if you’d mind telling me where you found this picture, in case I could use it for the project I’m working on?

hi great that you found that campsite near Hudson hope I kayak the peace river and always stay their as home base… across the river from the site is a fishing hole of ages…… west pine rest area did you get to see heart lake?

Murry, many years since we met – on the ill-fated Whitehorse Heritage Committee. Glad to see you’re still exploring. Was up the Paddy’s Peak trail last weekend, and the creek has washed out a section into a little boulder garden, a bit rough for most folks. ATVs have also chewed up the hills a bit. Still a great spot.

I notice in your recent post that Cultus Bay is a lake this year. Wow! Was a bay last year. Lots of great places to go…

Hey, great to hear from you! The Whitehorse Heritage Committee just came up in a conversation a few days ago – the city recently said “no way!” to a suggestion to revive it 🙂

I’d heard about the Paddy Peak road but haven’t been up to check it out yet. A guy posted on CBC a couple of hours ago that Cultus Lake was a lake last year as well – while I thought that very unlikely, it’s great to get that thought verified.

When you have a TJ Rubicon, rafts, and a jet boat, what can be wrong? Maybe working too much still, and not having time. I get out when I can, although not as much as you! Next, the trails on either side of Evelyn Creek (S. Canol), or getting as far as Gladstone Creek. Ran out of time last trip, and was in my diesel, a bit big for exploring, stopped where the north Kluane road runs along a cliff.

Hi, my name is Carmen Orlich. I am doing a research project on seizure alert dogs and I was wondering if you could answer some questions I have about them. I read one of your articles regarding your husky. If you are interested please email me as soon as possible!

Hi Murray
Awesome blog, thanks!
I’m Capt. Joe, spent most of my life cruising and working on the water and your blog is very apropos, as what I have left to explore on this continent is your back yard and will start doing it in 2018.
Wife Wendy and I left BC on our boat in 1982 and worked our way around to the east, the Caribbean, south States and now we are still living on the same boat in Ontario Canada, being icebound for the last 5 winters on the Trent Severn Waterway.
So, as we get older, and liking the cold weather more, we will be doing some travelling by some form of expedition type RV out to the Maritimes and then across Canada and hopefully into the Ukon.
These plans are somewhat long term, after I completely retire in 2018. In the mean time I will spend a good deal of time learning from your much appreciated efforts.

I worked at MEA for six years in Palmer. I knew several people whose had relatives in the old colony. I always wondered where Matanuska town had been located. One person tried to describe where it was but I never had any luck finding it.

I thought that there was no Matanuska town, Jim, as Palmer was the service center for the Matanuska colony which covered much of the lower valley. But, an alert reader corrected me – see Jack’s message of March 17, 2017.

There actually was a town of Matanuska. But it’s perfectly understandable that someone who used to live in Carcross (that’s correct, isn’t it Murray?) and now lives in Whitehorse (man, it’s been many years since the days of Alcanseek!) would know about it. The little railroad siding town of Matanuska predates the colonists of the mid-1930’s. There is little remaining of what was once a small, well-organized community. But it can still be seen on Google Earth at: N61.54119, W149.22788
Back in the early 60’s, when I first began exploring around in that area, the Matanuska Rd. ran from Palmer directly out to that townsite. But when the new highway was built across the Hayflats it was built upon that old right-of-way for quite a distance, obscuring the old road, which was soon forgotten by all but a few old-timers.

Thank you so much for sharing your adventure of Bennett and the Chilkoot Trail with us. Your detailed script along with the breathtaking photos made your journey come to life for one ‘ole Texas guy. Although I’ve not been to Alaska as yet (cruise or otherwise), one of the stops on my wish list is to retrace at least part of that epic route from years gone by. I feel like I may have just accomplished that a little from your writing and your photos.
I have always said that the beach is nice … but the mountains are where I want to be. I spend a lot of time in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and west Texas (yes, Texas does have mountains too … well kinda) … and just as Alaska the history of the old forgotten mining towns and settlements come alive around every peak and across every glittering creek.
The truly unforgettable scent of the mountains in the morning as one views HIS creation, the refreshing aroma of the pines and evergreens in the mid-day sun as you break for lunch, and the lingering smells and sounds of a crackling campfire as the sun slowly drops behind a mountain is peace that defies words.
Thanks again for sharing my friend … Keep Looking Up!

Thanks, Larry – I’m really pleased that you enjoyed it. I’m very much like you in that beaches are nice, but mountains is where I’m most alive. Add in some mining history, and I’m hooked. I hope that you get up for a look some day not too far away.

My girlfriend and I recently discovered your website and have thoroughly enjoyed living vicariously through your descriptive writing, stunning photography, and all things canine. Thanks for sharing your adventures! We hoped you might be willing to share your two cents with us regarding a trip we’re considering at the end of May from Haines to Skagway on our G650GS. This would be our first “long” two-up ride, and our first ride through mountain passes. Would this trip be manageable, or an unwise initiation into touring two-up? Lastly, do you happen to have any impression as to what road conditions we’ll face during that timeframe—will the highways still be covered in gravel/sand from the winter months?

Hi Jake and Jessy. I’m pleased that you’re enjoying what I post. In general, that ride is a great idea – the highway was in fine shape when I left on this trip a week ago, and the gravel has always been swept off by the Victoria Day weekend (May 24th). I have to qualify that by saying that I have no experience with riding two-up.

Still heats his room by burning wood in a metal box, since he has no chimney he opens the window when the smoke inside gets too thick. The built-up creosote hangs from the ceiling like little stalactites. I didn’t see any signs of food or means to prepare it, so it’s a mystery as to how he survives.

Good day Murray- I got you blog information from Sue thomas. We are planning on travelling to Alaska june 2018 total of three months. We will be traveling via 2012 F-150 and our travel trailer as well as our friends in their Motor home. We will be stopping in Jasper and it looks like the best way to Dawson Creek is up route 40. I read that your concerns were very little pull offs and no shoulders. What would you suggest. Your comments would be very helpful.
Thank you Joe & Helen.

Hi I came across your BC Rail blog while searching for new or old photos of the old Dease lake extension. My dad and many of his friends worked on the extension back in the 70’s, the company that was awarded the contract was based in Red Deer, Alberta and most of the workers came from through out central Alberta. I also have a newspaper clipping telling about how the company had to pack up and head back to Alberta under the cover of darkness because the equipment was going to have liens against them if they were still on the railway’s right of way by a certain day. I have many pictures of the men, equipment and area during the extension. Even though I was only around 4 years old at the time, me along with my mom and sisters went up and sent a few weeks up there one summer visiting my dad.

Thanks for the information, Rob – I don’t think I’ve ever heard about the Red Deer connection. There’s surprisingly little information online about that massive project – if you ever feel like sharing those photos, I’d love to help you make that happen.

hi murray enjoyed your backroads of atlin pix and wondering if you can direct me to the dredge in the pond… the steel pontoon one with the trommel if you look it is not actually a dredge but a floating trommel that is fed with an excavator and pulled along filling in behind it as more paydirt is fed in from the front end thruthe grizzly it happens that i have claims nearby and might want to recycle said unit.. thanks drew on saltspring

Found your site by fluke. In 1978 I purchased a Toyota Landcruiser 1 ton Truck, I added a 56 gallon aux fuel tank across the box, and canopy an off exploring we went. Seeing some of your travels brings back many good memories. I found the Canol Road in the Yukon across Ross River quite interesting. Wish the best on everyone s travel s and keep this blog going.

G’day Murray, greetings from Gilletts Ridge, NSW Australia. Like others here I found your site by fluke. I have travelled a few of the roads you mention and your excellent photos bring back some great memories of my trip to Whitehorse, Kluane and Skagway in 2009. Your writing is nearly as emotive as your fabulous photos. If I’m ever back your way I’ll try to look you up. Congrats on your excellent blog and best wishes for all your future travels.

Good morning Murray,
I was born at Beaver Creek and then my folks, Jack and Mary Nichols, moved to the top of White Pass, then Skagway and finally Carcross. I finally found some land in Carcross and will be there last week of April to finalize it and was hoping we could maybe meet. I’ve enjoyed all your photos and blogs and have some pictures from the early 30s onward when my father, who came to the Yukon in the 1920s was everything from a butcher to a mailman with sled and horses. You may have even known them from your time in Carcross. I do hope we can meet as there are many photos that I don’t have a clue as to who or where. Thank you, Patti

Hi Patti. Congratulations on your land purchase! Unfortunately I’m leaving on April 20th for 9 weeks on a motorhome trip into BC’s Kootenays. I suggest that you join my Yukon History & Abandoned Places group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/yukonhistory/ – we have 2,000 members and many are very knowledgeable and will be able to help with photos.

I live north of Yellowknife on Ingraham trail and saw your post on that from 2011. I am trying to populate google maps locations on Ingraham Trail with useful tourist type stuff and wonder if I can repost some of your photos to the relevant locations. If so do you want to have some “photographer / copyright” watermarked?

I’m glad you’re enjoying my little corner of the rabbit hole, Per 🙂 Yes, feel free to post some of the Ingraham Trail images on Google Maps. I forget how that input is done – if there’s an easy way to add “Photo by Murray Lundberg” that would be great, but I’m not going to worry about it – I’m happy to help get the word out about what a great drive it is.